Adjustable furniture-supporting devices



R. C. EMMERT ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE-SUPPORTING DEVICES Filed OCT.. 25, 1951 /VVENTOF?, ROLAND C?A EMMERT,

ADllUS'llAlllLE lllllllltllllllURE-SUPPRVELNG ll-loland 6C. .Emmett9 St. Louis, Application lillctoloer 25, llllfill, Serial No. 251%,ll7ll ll Claim. (tCl. it-a) This invention relates to improvements in adjustable furniture-supporting devices, and more particularly to improvements in a device of this character adaptable for selective longitudinal extension.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable furniture-supporting device that is simple, practical and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and especially adaptable for assembly with multipurpose, portable tables, although not necessarily restricted to such use.

Ancillary to the next preceding object, the present improvements objectively lend themselves admirably to the provision of a table for example which may be selectively employed as a coffee table at a rela ly reduced height above the lloor, or as a table for eating purposes, games, and other recreational activities. rthis facility is of particular advantage when the present improvements are embodied in tables adapted l'or rental service in substantial quantities, as for conventions, organization usage and by other large groups.

Another important objective is realized by a supporting structure consisting ot' an elongated tubular leg element attached at one end to a table or like leg-supported article of furniture, an extensible table leg unit received and housed by the elongated leg, including a threaded shalt portion that cooperates with and threadedly engages a enacting threaded coupling carried Within the tubular leg clement, permitting selective longitudinal extension incident to rotative movement.

Still another important objective is attained in providing an adjustable supporting assembly which may be constructed completely of stoel: material with a minimum of machining operation, particularly in providing an extensible leg unit consisting of a movable tubular member normally lying, at least partly, in nested relation with the elongated tubular leg, and a thin-fall filler arranged between and continuous with the tubular member and that portion of a shaft or nipple located centrally therein. The thin-wall iller compensates for slight discrepancies in stock sizes, and operatively connects the tubular member and nipple for turning actuation of the extensible unit.

lt is still another object hereof to realize a longitudinally adjustable furniture standard, in which the respective lengths of the extensible tubular member, the fixed coupling, and the nipple portion threadedly engaging the coupling, are so proportioned that when the exten sible unit is moved to a fully closed position, the cap enclosing the Vunit will abut the elongate tubular leg, and the nipple sleeve or coupling will abut the movable tubular element. in addition, the nipple end extending beyond the cooperating coupling, is deformed to profvide a peripheral flange which limits the extension of i rf- 'ns t; i movable tubular cien-rent at least partly within the elongate tubular housing when the unit is fully extended, tous preventing complete separation of the major elements of the assembly.

The foregoing and numerous other objects of the in- Patented @et d, 1955 vention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment and a modification thereof, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

liig. l is a perspective View of the adjustable furniture support utilized as a table leg, and showing a fragmentary corner portion of a table;

lig. 2. is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the adjustable support in substantially closed or fully retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of tbe supporting device in extended position;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view as taken along line ll-d of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of a modiied table leg structure, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view as taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the adjustable furniture support generally designated at lil in Fig. l and later fully described, is adaptable for attachment to any leg-supported article of furniture, which in the interests of conciseness and clarity will be usually hereinafter referred to as a table, the particular iurniture reference being understood in an exemplary, rather than in any restrictive sense. Briefly stated, the table illustrated by the fragmentary View of AFig. l consists oa top panel il, and interlocking drop aprons l2.

Any of the common methods of attachment well known in the furniture trade may be used to secure the adjustable ieg device llt), but the structure shown by Fig. l reveals one of the more simple pivotal connections used principally in folding, portable tables. The attachments include a pair of spaced lugs or tabs secured at one apron corner with one end of the leg device lll pivotally connected therebetween. A l'lat strip ll provided with an elongate slide slot l5 is attached to the support by pin llo and to the table apron by pin il?, the latter pin being slidably movable in the slot l5 incident to leg movement either in erecting or folding the table leg.

The supporting device il@ shown in Fig. l is an extensible type adapted to be selectively extended with precise longitudinal adjustment to any point .in the extension range. Many dillculties are encountered in stabilizing a table, especially one that is frequently moved from location to another, such as presented by uneven or sloping floors, rugs and other obstacles detrimental to providing a balanced, level table. All of these difllcultics are overcome completely by the structural and functional features of the present invention.

The detail of construction of the adjustable support lil is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. An elongate tubular leg member Ztl, of uniform diameter, comprises the major portion of the combined or total leg length, and is pivctally fastened at one end to a table apron l2, with the opposite end remaining open for the reception of an extensible, rotatively movable leg assembly, generally indicated at 2li and later described. A coupling 22 is housed and carried internally of the elongate tubular member Ztl and is preferably constructed and secured in the following manner: The coupling 22 consists of a short length of bar stock turned to provide an outer diameter' that is slightly larger than the internal diameter of the encompassing tubular leg 2li, and is provided centrally with a threaded bore 23. The coupling 22 is secured in the proper position shown by Figs. 2 and 3 by a pressing process which forms a forced lit with the tubular leg Ztl.

The adjustable leg extension unit 2l includes a tubular leg member Ztl, having an outside diameter that is smaller yet closely approximates the internal diameter of the overlying leg member jill, and is of sullicient length to provide a convenient extension range. A cap 25 is threadedly received by and encloses the lower end of the movable extension unit 21. The cap 25 presents a flat fioor surface 26, and a shoulder 27 which abuts the elongate tubular member when the extensible leg unit 21 is moved to a fully closed or retracted position, as best viewed in Fig. 2.

One end portion of a tubular connecting shaft, referred to at 30, is located centrally within the movable extension tube 24, but because of the discrepancies in standard stock sizes, it is inevitable that the shaft 30 be spaced from the tubular housing. In order to compensate for the discrepancy, and provide an operative gripping action between the tubular extension 24 and shaft 30, an intervening thin-wall, seamless tubular structure 31 is provided. That portion 28 of the shaft 30 extending beyond the movable tube 24, is provided with threads conforming with and operatively engaging the fixed threaded coupling or shaft sleeve 22. Obviously, the threads provided are not limited necessarily to those conforming to any set standards, but if desired may be specially machined to afford precise, minutely-fine adjustments.

It is a preference that the shaft 30 be fixedly secured to the movable tubular member 24 by placing the thinwall tubing 31, which has a slightly greater external diameter than the internal diameter of the cooperating tubular member 24, over the lower portion of the shaft, and pressing the component parts into the concentric, nested arrangement shown in Fig. 2, thus providing a forced fit of sufficient strength to support the table weight, and to impart a rotative movement to the shaft 30 upon actuation of the movable, extensible leg unit 21.

The extension range of the adjustable supporting device 10, is determined by the longitudinal dimensions of the movable tubular leg 24, threaded shaft 30, and coacting nipple, coupling or sleeve 22, respectively. Practical considerations of normal usages lead to the reasonable conclusion that only a relatively short range is required to level or stabilize most furniture. Thus, the length of the extensible tubular member 24 is chosen with the consideration that it determines substantially the maximum degree of extension. When the extensible tube 24 is brought to the completely closed position as determined by the cap 25, the coupling 22 is located adjacent the inner end 32. The coupling 22 may be of any convenient length, but it is preferred that it be as short as possible and yet securely grip the nipple 2S. For reasons which will later appear, the length of the nipple or threaded shaft portion 28 is so determined as to permit the nipple to be threadedly retained by the coupling 22, with an end portion extending therethrough at all times. it is apparent that the respective lengths of the aforesaid cooperating parts are interrelated and readily ascertainable.

The inner end of the threaded tubular shaft or nipple 28 is provided with a plurality, shown as four, of saw-cut notches or slots 33, spaced in 90 degree relation about the periphery. These notches 33 are cut shallow, but are yet of sufficient depth to permit the intervening end portions to be spread or deformed to provide a slightly divergent peripheral fiange 34. The ange 34 cooperates with the fixed-nipple sleeve 22 to limit the downward extension of the extensible table leg element 24 as it is rotatively manipulated for extended adjustment, thus realizing a unitary adjustable supporting device.

For initial assembly, the coupling 22 is pressed to the proper position inside of the elongate tubular leg 20, the thin-wall tubing 31 is placed about one end portion of the tubular shaft 30 and forced within the tubular extension 24, and the cap is threaded in place, enclosing the lower portion of the extensible unit 21. The unit 21 is then inserted within the tubular leg 20, the nipple 28 being threadedly received by the conforming fixed sleeve 22. After being fully retracted, a reaming tool or any suitable spreading element is used to deform the notched nipple end, providing a peripheral flange 34.

Hence,

The operation and use of the adjustable supporting device 10 is thought to have become apparent from the foregoing detailed description, but for completeness and further clarity it may be noted that if the table is placed in a location in which unfavorable conditions, such as uneven flooring or rugs, tend to cause an unstabilizing effect, the extensible leg assembly 10 may be readily utilized to correct and overcome all dfiiculties. In rotatively manipulating the extensible leg unit 21, the table may be quickly and easily leveled or stabilized at any height within the extension range.

A modification of the adjustable table leg 10 is shown by Figs. 5 and 6. From Fig. 5, it will be seen that a coupling or nipple sleeve 35 is fixed internally of the tubular leg 20 in the same manner as previously described with respect to sleeve 22. However, sleeve 35 is provided with a mutilated threaded bore that is characterized by alternate, symmetrically arranged thread-free surfaces 36 and threaded regions 37.

Although not shown by Figs. 5 and 6, the shaft 30 is preferably assembled and operatively connected to the tubular member 24 and closure cap 25 in identical manner as the leg structure represented by Fig. 2. That portion of shaft 30 extending from the tubular member 24 is referred to as a nipple 28, and is threaded to coact with Sleeve 35 so as selectively to afford a slidable and threadable longitudinal adjustment. The nipple 28 is characterized, similarly to sleeve 35, by the provision along a portion of its length 38, of a plurality of angularly spaced, flat, thread-free surfaces 39 and intervening normally threaded regions 40. The remaining nipple length 41 adjacent the tubular member 24 is provided with uninterrupted threads for precise, longitudinal adjustment of the extensible leg unit 21 when in a nearly fully retracted position.

It is apparent from the above description, that the mutilated threaded nipple portion 38 cooperates with the conforming threaded nipple sleeve 35 to realize selectively either a slidable or threadable adjustment for at least a part of the leg-extension range. This facility is of particular advantage when it is desired to have the table height changed quickly and easily from one extreme of the extension range to the other, for example, from the relatively reduced height of a coffee table to a position adapting the table for dining purposes.

The foregoing operational adjustment is accomplished by rotating the extension unit 21 to a position in which the respective threaded regions of the nipple length 3S and sleeve 35 are disengaged, and lie opposite a threadfree surface. In this position, the shaft 30 may be slidably extended to any desired point in the slidable range determinable by the length of nipple portion 33, and locked therein upon a slight rotative movement which engages the coacting threaded regions of the nipple and sleeve. Furthermore, it should be noted that there is sufficient threaded engagement of the nipple portion 33 and sleeve 35 to permit a subsequent fine adjustment upon additional rotative movement.

In keeping with the object, earlier expressed, of providing a multiple purpose table, as for, but not restricted to rental service, it will have appeared that the substantial range of height adjustment of the table legs afforded by the present improvements, enables a quick and easy conversion of such tables, between for example, coffee table height, and any of the other usual and accepted table heights as for certain work purposes, card games, and for various eating or serving usages.

Although the improvements have been described by making particularized reference to a preferred embodiment and a modification thereof, the detail of description is not to be understood as restrictive, numerous variants being possible within the principles disclosed and within the fair scope of the claim hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

In an adjustable supporting device, an elongate tubular leg, a coupling fixed inside the elongate leg and provided with a threaded bore characterized by angularly spaced, longitudinally extending, thread-free surfaces and intervening screw-threaded regions, an extensible tubular leg member movable through one end of and carried by the elongate tubular leg, a shaft having one end portion operatively connected to the tubular member, and the opposite end portion provided with screw-threads, the threaded shaft end portion being characterized for a part of its length by angularly spaced, longitudinally extending, thread-free surfaces and intervening screw-threaded regions, and the remaining length adjacent the tubular member being provided with complete uninterrupted screwthreads for precise, longitudinal adjustment of the extensible tubular leg member when in a nearly retracted position, the coupling and threaded shaft portion having the interrupted threads cooperating to aord selectively a slidable and a threadable longitudinal adjustment for a part of the extension range, the coupling and the last said shaft portion having suicient threaded engagement to permit a limited extent of fine adjustment upon rotative movement of the extensible tubular leg member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,668 Deming Jan. 19, 1915 1,451,999 Perry Apr. 17, 1923 1,483,051 Saunders Feb. 5, 1924 1,591,121 Gephart` July 6, 1926 1,996,331 Green Apr. 2, 1935 2,288,864 Whitehead et al. July 7, 1942 2,424,037 Jenkins July 15, 1947 2,455,664 Ferguson et al. Dec. 7, 1948 2,531,381 Abrahamson Nov. 28, 1950 

